This invention is directed to new and useful improvements in counting devices used with portable electric appliances and in particular to counting devices used with electric dry shavers.
Electric dry shavers usually include a cutter head assembly having movable and stationary cutter means, drive means for the movable cutter and a motor for operating the drive means to effect operation of the movable cutter relative to the stationary cutter. In certain shavers the source of power for supplying electrical energy to the motor comprise self-contained batteries which are either rechargeable or are disposable after the charge is depleted. These latter type shavers have proven quite successful and allow for use of the shaver without the need of a power cord connection to an electric supply outlet.
Since these battery operated shavers have periods of use measured by the available power or energy supply of the batteries which when depleted must be either recharged or disposed of and replaced before the shaver can be used again, it is desirable that means be provided whereby the user can judge in advance when the batteries will require service. One method is to utilize a counter within the shaver casing whereby the user after each shaving use can advance the counter incrementaly to record the total number of prior uses. The number of uses required prior to recharging of the batteries will vary with each user. After a short period of ownership of the shaver, however, the owner will usually be able to know how many shaving operations he will obtain from the batteries.
Counting devices for appliances for the purpose of recording the number of uses of an appliance are well-known. These prior counting devices usually include a dial mounted to rotate past an opening in the appliance casing. Numbers from "0" upwards are inscribed on the dial and are moved incrementaly from the "0" position in the opening to a preselected highest numerical position as the dial is rotated between uses. The counter dial is held in each sequentially moved position by appropriate detent means. Ratchet arms or the like are employed to advance the dial either manually or automatically as desired. Although these known counting devices have proven acceptable for the purposes employed, various problems are encountered in mounting these mechanisms within a compact appliance casing, such as a shaver casing, due to the relatively complex forming of the parts involved. In addition it is desirable to provide readily operable means for resetting the counter dial to a "0" position from an intermediate setting without the use of tools or other implements when the user desires to start counting anew.